I received your letter last night
together with one from Julia and was so glad to hear from you and home. I got the money she and you sent and I
got that you sent me before for New Years' present. I took it and bought tobacco with it. Tom has gone to the hospital but which
one I can't tell, so I don't know what to do with that money she sent me. If I send it in a letter to him I am
afraid it will go all over the country before he gets it. I wish she would write and let me know
what she thinks about it. When
Tom went away he was a great deal better than he had been in some time. I think the crisis is past and he will
recover again but I tell you at one time he was dangerous enough. He had the Black tongue and I think they
call that pretty bad but all traces of it are now gone.

We expected to leave this camp
this morning but as yet we are here. The order is now that we will go in the morning in light
marching orders. I canŐt tell when
we are a going and canŐt find out. The opinion is we are going in another fight. We have got extra rounds of cartridges
and are going to leave our tents where they are. The 5th New York Zouaves is going
to occupy our hospital for 7 days for their sick and if we were going back to
Washington I think they would go with us. I hope if we have to go in another fight that we come out as
harmless as we did before.

I am very sorry to hear you are
left all alone but I hope Lotty is there with you. Dear Clara, may God comfort you in your
loneliness and protect you from evil. I would gladly come back if I only could but I am in a tight
place just now. But look and hope
for the best and I pray that all may yet be right. I donŐt know whether I can mail this letter today or not and
if I can I will. Take good care of
yourself and the children for my sake and I will try to do the same for yourn. God
bless and protect you my only loved one until I see you again.

From yours in love and truth,

Peter L. Dumont

Kiss my little lambs for me as
often as you can.

As I walk the sentinel's midnight
beat

I think thou art always nigh

My prayers and thoughts are all of
thee

My only love goodbye (original)

P.L.D.

I await an early answer

P.S. The statement of Capt. Cone
is a correct one. There is no boards to be got to make a coffin of.The one I made for Jacob [Breish] was of 3 hard tack boxes fastened together by poles
under the bottom. Wesley can tell
you all about it better than I can in this letter. P.L.D.